$1.6m Solar Investment to Boost Power Security for Remote Hokianga Community

The funding will support the development of a new solar energy project designed to deliver long-awaited power stability to the settlement of Horeke, one of the oldest communities in Aotearoa.

 A remote Māori community in the Hokianga region of Northland is set to receive a major boost to its electricity resilience with a $1.6 million grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The funding will support the development of a new solar energy project designed to deliver long-awaited power stability to the settlement of Horeke, one of the oldest communities in Aotearoa.

Jones says the investment will significantly strengthen energy supply for the community, which has long experienced frequent outages, unreliable network connections, and disruptions to essential services such as water supply. “A new solar project will provide energy security to a small, predominantly Māori community at Horeke,” he said. “The system will deliver power to about 100 existing households and five new homes, as well as to five marae and one school.”

Ending Years of Energy Vulnerability

For decades, residents in Horeke have relied heavily on diesel, gas cylinders, and backup generators to meet their energy needs—costly and environmentally unfriendly alternatives that reflected the region’s limited access to stable electricity. With the new solar project, the community will gain access to more reliable, cleaner, and locally generated power, reducing dependency on fossil fuels and improving resilience during storms and outages.

Jones said the upgrade represents a major step forward for the region, which often sits at the end of long and vulnerable transmission lines. “Up until now, the Horeke community has been prone to power outages and disruptions to water supply caused by a lack of power,” he noted. “Securing their electricity supply will allow the community to unlock opportunities in eco and cultural tourism, providing employment and powering economic growth.”

Māori Trust to Lead Development

The grant will be provided to Utakura 7 Incorporation, a Māori trust governing ancestral land in the Utakura Valley, located north of Ōkaihau. The trust is contributing co-funding to the project and has been active in developing initiatives aimed at building an economic platform for the valley while also supporting education and youth development.

The solar system, once completed, will support households, community facilities, and local enterprises, allowing the trust and wider community to plan more confidently for the future. “The trust is developing community initiatives that promote educational achievement and build an economic base for the valley,” Jones said.

Construction to Begin Soon

Construction on the solar energy system is planned to start in the coming months. The project will include not only solar generation but also network upgrades required to support modern energy demands and withstand extreme weather.

Jones highlighted that reliable electricity is essential to keeping communities functioning, particularly during natural disasters that commonly affect Northland. “The power infrastructure upgrade will support essential services, particularly during extreme weather events,” he said.

Supporting Communities That Struggle to Attract Investment

The Minister stressed that the Regional Infrastructure Fund is designed to help areas that face barriers to securing private or commercial investment for critical infrastructure. “The Fund is contributing to energy security where there are wider benefits for communities that cannot gain investment from other sources,” Jones said.

The Horeke solar project is expected to deliver far-reaching social, cultural, and economic benefits—improving daily life for residents, enabling new community facilities, and supporting sustainable development throughout the Hokianga.